40 People Died While Trying To Get Food, UN Condemns Israel-backed Distribution System

The shots released by the Israeli side killed at least 40 people, with half of them near the distribution site of aid operated by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) on Monday, the local health ministry said, while UN officials condemned Israel-backed aid delivery methods.

Medics said at least 20 people were killed and 200 others injured near the aid distribution site in Rafah, the latest daily mass shooting that has killed hundreds of Palestinians seeking food since Israel imposed a new distribution system after lifting a partial total blockade for nearly three months.

Israel has handed over responsibility for distributing most of the aid allowed into Gaza into the hands of the new US-backed group, the GHF, which operates three locations in the area guarded by Israeli forces.

The United Nations has rejected the plan, saying the distribution of GHFs is inadequate, dangerous and violates the principles of humanitarian imparity.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on reports of the shooting on Monday.

In previous incidents, the Israeli military sometimes admitted its troops opened fire near the aid site, blaming the militants for provoking violence.

Meanwhile, the relatives arrived at Nasser Hospital to mourn the victims. The women and children cried beside the bodies wrapped in white cloth.

"We went there in hopes of getting help to feed our children, but it turned out to be a trap, a murder. I advise everyone: don't go there," said Ahmed Fayad, one of those trying to get help on Monday.

"Counts of people have been killed & injured in recent days, including hunger people trying to get food from a deadly distribution system," UNRWA Head Philippe Lazzarini tweeted in a post on X.

Before the new system was established, aid had been distributed to 2.3 million Gaza residents mainly by UN agencies such as UNRWA, which employed thousands of staff within Gaza and operated hundreds of locations across the enclave.

Israel said it had to take firm action against distribution because Hamas fighters diverted food aid. The Palestinian militant group denied saying Israel used hunger as weapons.

Lazzarini said Israel had not lifted restrictions on UN agencies, including UNRWA, to bring aid despite many aids ready to be moved to the enclave.

On Sunday, COGAT, Israel's military aid coordinating agency, said last week it had facilitated the entry of 292 trucks with humanitarian assistance from the United Nations and the international community, including food and flour, into Gaza.

It said the Israeli military would continue to allow the entry of humanitarian aid while ensuring the aid did not reach Hamas.

Prior to Monday's incident, the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza said at least 300 people had been killed so far, and more than 2,600 people were injured, near the distribution site since the GHF began operating.

In Geneva, Volker Turk, head of UN human rights, told the UN Human Rights Council on Monday Israel had "armed" food in Gaza. He repeated calls for an investigation into the deadly attack near the GHF distribution site.

"Israel's war methods and methods have caused terrible and unreasonable suffering to Palestinians in Gaza," Turk criticized.

"The disruptive and inhumane rhetoric of senior Israeli government officials reminds us of the most serious crimes," he added.

On Sunday, at least five people died as thousands of Palestinians approached two GHF distribution sites in the central and southern parts of the enclave.

GHF said in a statement it was continuing its food delivery on Sunday, distributing more than two million foods from its three distribution locations without incident.

The latest conflict in Gaza broke out on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian militant groups launched an attack on Israel's southern region, killing 1,200 people and holding 251 others hostage, according to Israeli calculations.

Israel retaliated by blockade, airstrikes and military operations in Gaza that it claimed targeted Palestinian militant groups.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire on January 19 and carried out a hostage-restriction swap. However, Israel again blockaded on March 2 and resumed its military operations on March 18, after the ceasefire agreement ended.

Meanwhile, medical sources in Gaza said on Monday the death toll from Palestine had reached 55,432 people, the majority of children and women, while injuries had reached 128,923 people, quoted from WAFA.

Meanwhile, the death toll since March 18 reached 5,139 people and 16,882 others were injured.

The source also showed that the total number of victims related to the distribution of aid reached 338 people, while 2,831 people were injured.